Method of drying air for blast-furnaces.



Nn. 715,366. Patented-nee. 9. 1902.

J. GAYLEY.

METHOD OF DRYING A18 FOP BLAST FURNACES.

(AppXicgztion filed Dec, 29 1898.)

(lo Nodal.)

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. UNITED STATES ATENT Fries.

JAMES GAYLEY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD OF DRYING AIR FOR BLAST-FURNACES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 715,366, dated December9, 1902.

I Application filed December 29, 1898- Serial No. 700,622- (N0 m del-lTo all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES-GAYLEY, of Pittsburg, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Methods of Extracting Moisture from Air, of which thefollowingis a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which-Figure 1 shows inside elevation apparatus of my invention adapted forthe practice of my method, and Fig. 2 is a modification of theconstruction thereof. Fig. 3 is a crosssection on line III III of Fig.1, showing one screen partly broken away.

In the extraction of the moisture from air by means of refrigerating-sorfaces interposed in the passage of air-currents it is found in practicethat after a larger percentage of the moisture is removed the remainderis held Very tenaciously, and as the pipes are frosted more or less thecontact between the air and pipes is not so intimate and the temperaturenot so low as to permit of aready extraction of the small percentageremaining. With a large exposure of refrigerating-surface cooled to avery low temperature a practically complete elimination of the moisturecan be had; but this can only be done at a material increase in cost ofapparatus and refrigerant. I have therefore devised a method by whichthis smaller percentage of moisture can be reduced to a point ofpractical elimination in a way that is very economical, and 1 therebywiden the application of dry air in the arts.

My invention consists in a method of applying to the air at a point inits flow through the conduit connecting the refrigeratingchamber to theblast engine or engines of a pieces of screen to hold it in properposition, said screens being interposed in the air-conduit leading fromthe refrigerating-chamber to the air-cylinder of the engine.

In the drawings, 3 represents a refrigerating-chamber, of suitableconstruction in which the air comes in contact with cooled surfaces.

4: represents the air cylinder of an airpumping engine, and 5 is aconduit connecting the refrigerating-chamber and air-cylinder, saidconduit being preferably widened to such degree that there shall beample space for the flow of air. 6 6 are perforated trays or screens insaid conduit, containing layers of chlorid of calcium 7 7.

8 is a receptacle in the bottom of the conduit for collecting thesaturated or liquefied chlorid of calcium after it has become hydrated,and 9 is an opening for drawing oil the liquid chlorid of calcium, whichcan be dehydrated and used again.

10 10 are lids covering openings in the conduit which are used to insertor remove the screens.

11 11 are lugs for holding the trays in position.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a modified construction wherein the screens areplaced horizontally. In this case the chlorid of calcium when hydratedcollects in the pocket 8. The hydrated chlorid also falls through theaircurrents in passing to said receptacle and does not have a tendencyto clog the lower portion of the screen, as in Fig.1. I am thus enabledto reduce the moisture in the air to an exceedingly low point and atmuch less expense than where the extraction is performed solely by theemployment of refrigerating surfaces or by the use of chemicals alone.

I do not confine the method claims of this patent to the use of anynumber of screens containing chlorid of calcium, nor to the describedmanner of using it, nor to the use of chlorid of calcium alone, as thereare other substances that may be used for this purpose. As nearly allsuch air-drying substances affeet metals more or less by corrosion, Imay substitute wood, glass, or other substances at such places as comein contact therewith.

In the practice of my invention the air first passes through the chamber3, wherein are cooled surfaces, and is preferably reduced to 0centigrade, whereby the greaterportion of the moisture is condensed andcollected. Thence the air passes into the conduit 5 and passing over thechlorid of calcium or other dehydrating material the moisture thatremains is practically eliminated or reduced to a small and practicallyuniform content. From the conduit or chamber 5 the dried air passes to ablast-furnace or converter. The air engine or pump by which the air iscaused to flow may be stationed back of the chambers 3, so as to deliverthe air into the latter, or may be placed, as shown in the drawings, inadvance of the chamber 5, so as to suck the air through the chambers 3and 5 to deliver it under compression to the place of use.

I claim The method hereinbefore described of drying air forblast-furnace use, Which consists in precipitating the greater portionof the mois-

